Furniture Revivals~Tips For a Great Makeover

At the end of this post, tell me which one of these makeovers is your favorite. 

Happy Friday!  While I'm busy working in the design studio today I have a special guest, Jamie from Southern Revivals, posting for me.  I stumbled upon Jamie's blog last year and was captivated by her furniture revivals.

I love a good furniture makeover.  Most times it's not only a budget friendly alternative to new furniture, but it usually results in a unique, custom piece.  Whether it's a family heirloom, a unique thrift store find or a frugal re-purpose, Jamie rocks it.  I invited her to share a sampling of her projects along with a few tips with us today.


Take it away, Jamie...

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"Hi Everyone! I'm Jamie from Southern Revivals. I am beyond honored to have been invited to be a guest here on Sarah's blog. Truthfully, my mind is blown. I'm so excited to be able to share some of what I do here with you all today. I consider myself a  furniture revivalist. I revive, repurpose and renew old, ugly or vintage furniture. I have a  'use what you have' approach to home decor but still, it has to be awesome." 

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 How do you decide when to replace and when to repurpose? 

"Haha well, that's a really good question! I'm not sure I have that down to a science yet myself because usually I'm pretty convinced that I can repurpose everything. Of course I can't, but that doesn't keep me from trying. So I guess that, in part, is the answer. Trial and error. But also I believe if a piece is good and solid it can be reused and revived in such a way that no one, not even you, will recognize it once it's done.  I think the trick is getting past the ugly...and seeing the potential…"

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 Where do you usually find the pieces you use for your projects?

"I will take it anywhere I can get it and I can't tell you how many times that has included the roadside.  I get far more excited than any grown woman should when I see someone has tossed furniture to the curb…" 

"I use Craigslist. A LOT. Usually people are just so ready to be rid of their stuff (because they haven't learned the secret) they sometimes practically give it away."

"...My all time favorite source for great finds are family heirlooms. Now I'm not talking about painting your great, great, great grandmother's Tufft table.  I just mean those hand-me-downs or inherited pieces that you'd never put in your home they're so ugly, but you'd lose sleep at night from the guilt of getting rid of it. You'd be surprised how gorgeous these pieces turn out and they're even lovelier knowing where they've come from. They tell great stories."

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 Do you have any "go to" colors or favorite paint brands?

"This is my biggest secret and you heard it here first.... I regularly use mis-tinted paint in any brand {as long as it's a color I like!} from any store that has a mis-tinted paint section and that includes Wal-Mart.  There. I said it…"

"...I'll tell you like someone once told me: it's only paint. If you don't like it, you can paint over it".

{This one is my favorite, isn't it beautiful?}

Great advice, Jamie!

Thank you, for sharing your inspiring makeovers and tips with us today. 
Please be sure to stop by Jamie's blog, Southern Revivals for more project inspiration. 

I'll be back next week with new online design projects to share, another hint at my big upcoming announcement and I'll begin addressing your most common design challenges (as I mentioned in this post). 

So, which one is your favorite?

*For information on my affordable online design service, please click here. 

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

Valentines Dining Table~Shameless Admissions and Updates

Today's post is a 2011 Valentines post re-run.  Throughout the post {highlighted in red}  I'm sharing updates, interesting facts and answering frequently asked questions about this space.  The room is now used as a combination formal dining room/home office (you can see what the space looks like now by clicking here).  Back then, it was just a formal dining room.

Here is the original post…  

This Sunday I hosted a dinner party in honor of our Daughter and Grandmothers Birthdays.

  

{Update, Our beautiful and loving Grandma passed away a few weeks ago.  We laid her to rest on her 93rd Birthday}.

Between Church, Catechism and our usual Sunday routine, it left us with 2 hours to clean the house,

{Shameless admission…our chandelier is not wired.  We have recessed lighting on a dimmer switch and no hard wiring for a chandelier.  I wanted one so bad, but didn't really need the additional lighting.  So I faked it.  Instead of paying an electrician $500 to wire and install the light, I removed the wiring and hung the chandelier from a hook.  No one has ever noticed that it doesn't work.  I can take it down and put it up as my mood changes}.  

cook dinner for twelve and set the table.

{These photos were featured in Romantic Homes' Kitchens Magazine in an article titled "Dining In Style, Casual Simplicity".  It was my very first magazine feature, such an exciting experience}.

 Most importantly, set the table.

{You can see this year's Valentines table using these same amaryllis by clicking here.  These potted plants were a frugal DIY project.  I purchased the flowers at a discount store, placed them in terra cotta pots and put them inside thrift store hurricanes}.

I didn't prepare ahead.

I had to use what I had on hand.  

{I am a procrastinator.  Whenever I get caught in a situation where I don't have a centerpiece,  I stop at Kroger and grab a pretty cake to place in my cake dome}.  

There was no time to panic.

I thought maybe I could pull off a Valentines Day theme by using some of my red Christmas Decor.

{The large multi-photo frame is actually an easel style free standing floor frame (purchased at Big Lots). I hung it sideways on the wall.  This frame has a candid photo of every member of our extended family.  For Halloween, the kids glued google eyes on their relatives, we loved the results so much that we left them there}. 

 It was quick, easy, cost nothing and appeared to be thought out.

Even Murphie (who can't resist a sunny corner in the dining room) dressed up.

The kids are excited about having "Valentines" decorations.

Do you decorate for Valentines Day?  

{One of the most frequent questions I'm asked is, "What type of dog is Murphie"?  He is a Bichon Frise.  Sometimes his fur is long and fluffy but most of the time we keep him short}.  

The paint color in this space is Martha Stewart Crevecouer.  

Drapes/drapery rods are from Restoration Hardware. 

Dining set is from VCF.com

Crown molding plate shelves were made DIY style by my husband. 

 It's always fun to look back at old blog posts to see how our home and our family has evolved.   

Thanks for going back in time with me today. 

*For information on my affordable online design service, Please Click Here. 

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

DIY Wine Cabinet~Easiest Wine Storage Solution Ever

Last summer, I revealed my budget friendly kitchen makeover.  My goal with this project was to give our builder grade kitchen a custom look on a budget.  Instead of replacing our cabinets, we altered them to make them appear custom. To see how we made them look taller, click here.  

Today, I would like to share how I turned one of the cabinets into custom wine storage.

In my dream kitchen, I would have built in wine storage.  It wasn't in the budget so I improvised with this simple solution.  First, I removed the door and the shelves inside my top corner cabinet.

After a light sanding, I caulked the corners of the inside of the cabinet and the holes from the door hardware.  Then I primed the surface (and the shelves) with Kilz.  I let the primer cure for 24 hours before giving the cabinet/shelves two coats of paint.  I used the leftover paint from my cabinet painting project.  

  

I purchased my favorite woven storage baskets (and cute labels) from Ballard Designs to hold wine, glasses and cookbooks.   I LOVE these baskets for many reasons.  They fit perfectly inside the cabinet and they are strong and structured enough to hold 5 bottles.  

The rich color and texture provided by the baskets in the corner of the kitchen breaks up long row of bright white cabinetry. 

  

Another reason I chose the corner cabinet for wine storage was that it was far enough from the heat of the refrigerator, stove and dishwasher.  For more details, including before and after photos on my kitchen transfomation please click here.  

FAQ on this space:

Paint colors: Martha Stewart Tailors Chalk for the cabinets, Martha Stewart Coir on the walls (Coir is discontinued but Martha's Heath is very similar)

Lantern Source: Home Depot

Cabinet Hardware Source: Home Depot

Glass Canisters: Target

Granite: Absolute Black

Details on the cabinet painting experience can be found here. 

* For information on my affordable online design services, please click here. 

Thanks for visiting.

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

Designing For The Sexes~Cottage Style Goes Reggae

Today's featured online design plan was a fun project {click here for one of your own}.  The clients are a young couple decorating their first home together.  She is a DIY diva that loves cottage style decor.  He has an affection for all things Bob Marley.  They called upon me to design a master bedroom they both will love.  This is a great example of designing for the sexes.  A little bit of her and a little bit of him come together in one unique design.  

One love, one heart, let's get together and…you know the rest.

Here is what I came up with…

Bright colors (turquoise and yellow) and Etsy quotes from the king of reggae himself give the space "his" personality.

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For "her", it's custom moldings, beadboard, crisp white painted furniture and cottage style accessories.

White furniture and bright accents are grounded by a mid-tone gray wall color.  You can see in the image below how contrast provided by the gray wall color allows the white chandelier to pop. 

{Chandelier image source}

Not only was this design created to reflect both him and her, it was also put together at budget friendly retail stores and loaded with DIY projects.  

In the end, this space has an overall cottage style infused with his passion for Bob through the use of color and art.   To reserve your very own online design plan, please click here.  Now is the time to reserve your spot before the spring rush. 

*Please feel free to use this design as inspiration.  I'm not able to share specific details about this custom design plan out of courtesy to my client.  Thank you for understanding.  

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

Mixing Patterns~A Hint About My Big Secret

I have the most exciting news to share, I am so geeked to tell you that I'm about to bust.  It is one of the most exciting things that has happened since I ditched my banking career to pursue my true obsession passion.  It ranks up there with my upcoming feature in BHG (not quite as awesome, but up there).  I can't spill the beans yet, but I can give you a hint.  It has to do with bridging the gap between the secret world of designer product sources and us "real people".  

While I'm trying to keep myself composed, I'll be busy working on your online designs.  Speaking of which, we are bracing for the spring and tax season rush…if you would like to reserve your on-line design consultation, now is the time.   Spots are limited to ensure adequate time and attention to each space.  

This recent online design plan is a family room project for a gorgeous traditional style home.  This custom design is a great example of a sophisticated space that is family friendly.  

The client wanted a family room that was well appointed, but not stuffy.  We used rich dark wood furnishings with slight distressing to keep the space feeling lived-in and approachable.  Her gorgeous fireplace stone was the basis for our color palette.    

We updated the traditional style of this design with a contemporary mix of patterns.  The handsome striped chairs have a slim profile and graphic stripe that give them an updated feel.  

The rug chosen for the space is traditional in design.  The contemporary brown and gray color palette and somewhat modern floral motif keep it feeling young. 

The neutral sofa will be sporting toss pillows in a beautiful gray trellis pattern fabric. 

By mixing stripes, trellis and a modern floral this space is on-trend, yet the overall traditional flavor will stand the test of design time. 

For information on my affordable on-line design service, please click here.  Thanks for stopping by.

*Please feel free to use this design as inspiration.  I'm unable to share specific details about this design plan out of courtesy to my client.  Thank you for understanding. 

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

Rich Wood Judges Paneling~Den Makeover

The power of custom woodworking never ceases to amaze me and this room transformation is a great example.  Chris and Gary are a wonderful couple having fun sprucing up their empty nest.  Chris enjoys transitional style while Gary leans more towards traditional.  This den makeover combines both traditional elements with a few fun contemporary accents.  

Here is a look at the room before the makeover:

(Before)

(Before)

The first new design element was rich custom woodworking.   Bill Walter is the talented carpenter behind this beautiful judges paneling wall treatment.  The addition of judges paneling immediately transformed this space.

(After)

We brought in a pair of beautiful wingback chairs in bright white upholstery to pop against the dark wood paneling and floors.  

Comfort was just as important as style when it came to choosing the perfect chairs.  After shopping around at bit, Potterybarn's Gramercy Chair won.  

Fun, oversized, contemporary lamps were incorporated for a bit of whimsy to the lighten the mood. 

A cute console table was used for printer storage and display of Gary's collectibles.  

For the new desk, they needed something compact yet large enough to work at comfortably.  We also wanted a piece that felt light, as not to compete with the visual weight of the judges molding treatment.  

The Ava Desk from Potterybarn was perfect. 

This handsome desk with simple lines is the perfect blend of contemporary and traditional.  The glass top makes the desk appear lighter while the size of the desktop provides ample work space.  

This project was a lot of fun.  Rich wood judges paneling had a dramatic effect on the feel of this room.

Blending new furniture pieces with the clients existing treasures resulted in a warm, comfortable den.  Combining traditional and contemporary elements created a space that both Chris and Gary enjoy.  

For information on my affordable on-line design service, please click here.  

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod